Heat exchanger assembly

• Main Authors: WINTERSTEEN, DOUGLAS C, SAMUELSON, DAVID E, POLISOTO, DAVID M, PAUTLER, DONALD R, COOPER JR., RICHARD V
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 13.11.2013
• Subjects: BLASTING; DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OFGENERAL APPLICATION; HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL; HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS,IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; WEAPONS

A heat exchanger assembly (120) that includes an outlet header/manifold (126) defining an outlet cavity (128), an outlet tube (148) in fluidic communication with the outlet cavity (128), and a heat exchanger core (146). The outlet tube (148) and the outlet cavity (128) cooperate to reduce a temperature value range across the heat exchanger core (146) by equalizing refrigerant distribution between the refrigerant tubes (136) within the heat exchanger core (146). The length of the heat exchanger headers/manifolds (122,126) may be increased for a predetermined packaging width because the outlet tube (148) and inlet conduit (170) may exit the headers/manifolds (122,126) perpendicularly rather than axially, allowing the heat exchanger core width to be increased. The increased heat exchanger core width allows additional refrigerant tubes to be included in the heat exchanger core, providing decreased air pressure difference for air flowing through the heat exchanger assembly and increased heat capacity of the heat exchanger assembly.